EP 0835444 A1 19980415 - ULTRASONIC PATH BUNDLE AND SYSTEMS
Title (en)
ULTRASONIC PATH BUNDLE AND SYSTEMS
Title (de)
ULTRASCHALL WEGBÜNDEL UND -SYSTEM
Title (fr)
FAISCEAU D'ELEMENTS PLACES DANS DES TRAJETS D'ULTRASONS ET SYSTEMES ASSOCIES
Publication
Application
Priority
- US 9609267 W 19960606
- US 47776195 A 19950607
Abstract (en)
[origin: US5962790A] An encapsulated or rigid bundle of rods forms a substantially non-dispersive buffer usable in extreme environments, operable over wide bandwidth, and in some implementations, easily repairable in the field. In one preferred configuration, suitable for measuring the flow of low-molecular-weight gases over a wide range of pressure, temperature and flow rates, the bundle is made of about one thousand stainless steel welding rods tightly packed inside a 1-inch diameter tube. The rigid encapsulated assembly is sealed at the end that is in contact with the gas and may be sealed into a high-pressure flange in a manner that yields broadband transmission characteristics. A second buffer bundle, aligned with the first bundle, may be pressure-coupled on the other side of the flange. Ultrasonic pulses transmitted into the first bundle remote from the gas are transmitted with little loss and little pulse distortion into the gas, while the transducer is thermally isolated by the second bundle and remains near ambient temperature. The high-pressure flange is thinned locally over a central area yet supports the rod safely and withstands pressures of 300 bar. This locally-thin region supports and aligns both buffers, while transmitting a broad band-width pulse in the preferred axial direction, while discouraging transmission in all other directions. This helps reduce solid-body-borne crosstalk and results in a high signal-to-noise ratio and high accuracy in the measurement of flow or other measurands. Signals may be combined to remove noise and then be processed to compute flow-related terms. The bundles are non-degrading waveguides to carry signals through degrading environments. This is useful for numerous stack, freestream and chordal path configurations, as well as clamp-on systems and special mode-converting configurations. Beam shaping and steering may be passively effected with patterned bundle constructions.
IPC 1-7
IPC 8 full level
G01N 29/02 (2006.01); G01F 1/66 (2006.01); G01N 29/22 (2006.01); G01N 29/24 (2006.01); G01N 29/28 (2006.01); G10K 11/24 (2006.01)
CPC (source: EP US)
G01F 1/662 (2013.01 - EP US); G01N 29/227 (2013.01 - EP US); G01N 29/228 (2013.01 - EP US); G01N 29/2462 (2013.01 - EP US); G01N 29/28 (2013.01 - EP US); G10K 11/24 (2013.01 - EP US); G01N 2291/021 (2013.01 - EP US); G01N 2291/02836 (2013.01 - EP US); G01N 2291/02872 (2013.01 - EP US); G01N 2291/0422 (2013.01 - EP US); G01N 2291/2626 (2013.01 - EP US)
Designated contracting state (EPC)
DE DK FR GB IT NL
DOCDB simple family (publication)
US 5962790 A 19991005; EP 0835444 A1 19980415; EP 0835444 A4 19981118; JP 2007047180 A 20070222; JP 4688762 B2 20110525; JP H11507723 A 19990706; WO 9641157 A1 19961219
DOCDB simple family (application)
US 87845697 A 19970618; EP 96919159 A 19960606; JP 2006249919 A 20060914; JP 50162397 A 19960606; US 9609267 W 19960606